“Hand-written letters have an emotional value for us. This is at risk of being lost completely in this age of electronic keyboards. This generation or future generations may not know this at all,” he said at an event in Hyderabad.

“Can we not have a hand-written letter writing day across India? Let us say that everybody will write a letter to their friend or relative on that day. But that letter must be hand written,” he said after formally inaugurating the Telangana Postal Circle.

The Union Information and Broadcasting Minister recalled “that red letter box, symbol of India Post, was more important in our times than today. In those days there was no e-mail, no mobile phones, etc. But as against popular misconception, post has defied the rise of internet and mobile telephony.”

“That is why we are here. Today marks the opening of 23rd Postal Circle of India. Telangana Postal Circle under Post Master General based in Hyderabad was created on July 1, 2016. Today it is formally inaugurated,” he said.

Letter writing or correspondences as a literary discipline can be attributed to post office, Mr Naidu said, adding that the letters of many great leaders, authors, and social worker are part of the nation’s intellectual and emotional heritage.

Post has played a major role in shaping of modern India, he said.

“Postal Department has a vital role to play in coming days. The Department of Posts is in the process of setting up India Post Payment Banks (IPPB) with 100 per cent government equity.

“The task is likely to be completed by September 2017 when all IPPB branches and their linkages with all Post Offices across the country will be completed. IPPB will promote financial inclusion in every corner of the country,” he added.
PTI